Monash University: University Handbooks: Postgraduate Handbook 2002: Units indexed by faculty
Previous page | Next page | Section contents | Title and contents

Master of Science by coursework and minor thesis


Geoscience

General information

MSc coordinator: Dr Mark Jessell + Prerequisites: Credit average in one of the third-year major sequences in geology, geophysics, mathematics or physics and/or permission of the head of school, and approval of the faculty
The School of Geoscience offers a MSc preliminary/MSc program designed to provide an alternative to the honours program. In two years full-time, or four years part-time, a student may complete the MSc degree by coursework and minor thesis. The first two (or four part-time) semesters are designated as an MSc preliminary. The actual MSc thesis may be submitted 12 months subsequently.
In both the MSc preliminary and the MSc, the course is divided into a number of components. In the MSc preliminary year, students are required to complete five graduate subjects, an essay, a seminar and a research report. In the following MSc year, each student may take a further three subjects.
In practice, all full-time students are required to be working on their research topic when they are not involved in formal course or project units. Suitable subjects may include:
(a) formal subjects consisting of two lectures and practical classes over 13 weeks with essays/assignments approved by supervisor
(b) postgraduate subjects -- full-time over two weeks with essays/ assignments approved by supervisor (note that VIEPS courses conducted over one week are assigned a weight of four points)
(c) minor independent project units -- assignments/review topics
(d) principal research units -- independent thesis topic
(e) other equivalent work (eg mapping/symposia/laboratory classes) assigned by supervisor.
Students wishing to proceed to the MSc from the MSc preliminary must present a summary of their MSc preliminary activities at a research seminar conducted by the School of Geoscience. To be eligible for admission to the MSc, MSc preliminary students must achieve results equivalent to a BSc(Honours 2A) (an overall grade of 70 per cent or better). Lower grades are subject to review and may require approval from the dean.
Students should consult with appropriate staff members in order to determine a suitable program of study. MSc preliminary students may take some third-year geology or geophysics units if the course of study undertaken to BSc level did not encompass the full range of topics available.
Course units available vary each year depending on availability of academic staff. Listed below are course units which have been offered to MSc preliminary students. Note that not all these subjects will be available in a given year. In addition, MSc preliminary students may take courses offered by Monash schools other than Geosciences, and departments at La Trobe University and the University of Melbourne, which are members of the Victorian Institute of Earth and Planetary Sciences (VIEPS). All intending students should consult with the school's MSc coordinator concerning their choice of course units. A full listing of course units available in 2002 and the times at which they will be offered will be available from the coordinator at the beginning of the academic year.
More detailed information concerning the MSc program will be made available through the Faculty of Science office and the School of Geoscience, including detailed scheduling of courses when this information becomes available. Course units offered can be identified in streams as follows.

Geophysics and sub-surface imaging

Units in this stream include advanced electrical methods; structural analysis of regional geophysics; applied petroleum geology; computers I and II; hydrogeology; applied petroleum geology.

Tectonics -- structure -- metamorphism

Units in this stream include introduction to remote sensing; structural analysis of regional geophysics; metamorphism field trip; hydrogeology; deformation microstructures; mesostructural analysis field trip; stable isotopes; strain analysis; tectonics; trace element geochemistry.

Ore deposits

Units include ore genesis; hydrothermal geochemistry; stable isotopes; trace element and isotopes.

Geochemistry -- petrology

Units include advanced ore deposits; computers I; stable isotopes; trace element and isotopes; hydrothermal geochemistry; thermodynamics and phase petrology.

Basin studies

Units include ore genesis, applied petroleum geology; computers I; hydrogeology; orogenic belts I; palaeobiology of Australasian vertebrates; sedimentary sequence stratigraphy; tectonics; volcanology.

Environmental geoscience

Units include hydrogeology, aqueous geochemistry, environmental studies.

Mathematics and statistics

The School of Mathematical Sciences offers a number of MSc by coursework programs, particularly in the areas of statistics and meteorology. See also the 'Areas of graduate study' section.

Meteorology

A Master of Science degree in meteorology is offered through the Centre for Dynamical Meteorology and Oceanography at Monash University. The course aims to provide a strong background in the fundamentals of meteorology and their practical application.
Current areas of research include, but are not restricted to, climate variability and change; stratospheric dynamics and ozone; bushfire behaviour; mesoscale meteorology, fronts; clouds, convection and aerosols; tropical cyclones; atmospheric gravity waves; nonlinear wave dynamics; physical oceanography; and geophysical fluid dynamics. Candidates may be offered joint supervision with a supervisor from the Bureau of Meteorology or CSIRO Atmospheric Research, and under this arrangement the range of research fields is greatly extended.

Entry requirements

An approved honours degree or equivalent relevant experience.

Course length

Two years (full-time) or four years (part-time).

Statistics

This course is run as part of the Key Centre for Statistical Science, a joint program of Monash University, RMIT, the University of Melbourne and La Trobe University. To a complete a MSc by coursework, students complete six units and a minor thesis.

Entry requirements

An approved bachelors degree and honours in statistics.

Course length

Two years (full-time) or four years (part-time).

Previous page | Next page | Section contents | Title and contents